A broad study of abnormal hemoglobin syndromes is proposed. This encompasses relatively simple but thorough clinical evaluation of patients with sickle cell anemia and related disorders; more sophisticated clinical procedures such as red cell life span measurement with DF32P; measurements of globin synthesis in the peripheral blood reticulocytes of such patients; pilot studies of abnormal hemoglobin frequency in newborn infants; and careful clinical and biochemical examination of unusual abnormal hemoglobin disorders as they are detected.